Posted at 16:45h
in
Interviews,
Music
Twelve years ago if you were to tell sisters
Tina and
Erica Campbell that they would be three time Grammy winners, have a platinum selling debut album and three Gold certified albums, they would have probably laughed in disbelief. Gospel music rarely crosses over into the mainstream charts and any artist – regardless of their genre – is extremely lucky to have a career that spans over ten years. “Sometimes I look around and I have to pinch myself to believe that this is really happening. Did I really achieve all this?” says a very humbled Erica, one half of acclaimed gospel duo
Mary Mary.
She begins to reminisce, “Tina and I use to share a tiny apartment, so when I look back it amazes me how far we’ve come. I have to thank God for all he has done for us, he has really blessed us and for that I’m truly grateful.” With the guidance of producer
Warryn Campbell, Tina and Erica were making a name for themselves in the late '90s within the Gospel music scene. But it was 2000’s hit “Shackles (Praise You)” that put the duo on the map and broke them into the mainstream market. “I had no idea the single would be that huge” she says. Performing under the name Mary Mary, the single was a huge success on both sides of the Atlantic and their debut album
Thankful - released later that year - went Platinum.
A decade later and five albums down the line the singers are still going strong and staying relevant in today’s music scene, with the last twelve months being one of their most successful years to date.
A delightfully diverse not to mention hot and sweaty crowd packed out London’s Scala venue last Wednesday in anticipation of seeing future African folk/soul legend, Nneka Egbuna light up the stage. As her superb band teased the waiting masses with a low rumbling groove, the crisp voice of the petite and perfectly formed Nigerian songstress came through crystal clear on the mic to rapturous applause.
Still managing to look divine without a lick of make-up and her hair in a scruffy pony-tail, awe-struck members of the audience could be heard commenting on her arresting natural beauty. Nneka could easily go the way of many of her contemporaries and exploit her good looks to push record sales and the fact she does not, speaks volumes about her musical integrity and sense of priority; a bona fide feminist icon if ever there was one. Miss Egbuna is an artist that plays by her own rules and her very vocals embody this renegade philosophy.